In our classroom, we've had students who have embraced alternative names. Some have opted to translate their names or select a fresh English name. It's crucial for me to communicate with families, assuring them that I am dedicated to learning their child's name. However, I also emphasize that if they prefer to be addressed by another name, I am fully supportive of their choice. At one point I had a student who was using a nickname but he decided to go back to his given name. It was really cool to see all of his classmates support this I firmly believe that the notion of encouraging students to adopt new English names solely for my convenience is misguided. As an advocate for students, I am committed to empowering them in selecting the name they wish to be called and actively promoting proper pronunciation through practice and modeling for other students. I have seen first hand that students will be supportive of this if they have adults to model after!
